Information Seeking Behaviour and Information Searching Strategies of the Students: With Special reference to 1AB, 1C, Type-II Schools in Kopay Divisional Education Office of the Jaffna Zonal Education Office

Abstract

The global information revolution has led to an explosion of information. This has led to the need to organize information and the ability to search and use appropriately. This situation created a need to improve the information skills of school children. In this case, the study on "Information Seeking Behaviour and Information Searching Strategies of the Students” is based on a survey conducted using 1 AB, 1C and Type 2 schools in Kopay Division of the Jaffna Education Zone. The samples were selected from the five selected schools according to Krejcie and Morgan sample selection table, and the study was conducted with the aim of identifying the challenges in information seeking behavior of the students and find out the strategies to improve the students’ searching behavior. Data was collected from 245 students through a questionnaire and interviews. The results show that 103 (42%) students use the school library for information search, 172 (70%) students use the Internet for searching for information, 93 (38%) students have internet access, and 41 (17%) students use the rural libraries. The study further found that 44 (18 %) students have never used a dictionary as an information resource, while 201 (81%) students had used textbooks to meet their information needs, and 172 (70%) students had sought for assistance from friends for information. Also, when they need information, 196 (80%) discuss with friends, 202 (82.4%) seek teachers, 189 (77%) seek parents and 161 (66%) students seek library access. Moreover, 99 (40%) students use the internet and 87 (35%) use social networking sites. It is recommended to promote the practice of self learning in students by teachers, to appoint teacher librarians, formulating policy on career development prospects for teacher librarians, library period should be included in the school timetable, and the awareness program to be organized to improve the students’ library usage